Apparatus for developing photographic negatives.



E. J. SWEETLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC NEGATIVES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20. I917. Patented NOV. 19,

2 SHEETS-SHEET "I;

31 13 s afloat L21 E. J. SWEETLAND. APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC NEGATIVES.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918, 2 sums-sum 65* J11 Lac 14104: I W, 3&1; 77 5 filifozucl APPLICATION FILED lULY 20.1911.

ERNEST J. swEnTLAun, or MONTCLAI'R, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS. FOR :oEvnLormG' 'rno'roennrnrc NEGATIVES.

Specification of Iiettersratent. I fPat nt d N 19" 91 Application filedhl' 1113i 20, 1917. Serial No; 181,691.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be-it known that I, ERNEST J. SWEETLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the tow-n of Montclair, county of-Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Developing Photographic Negatives, of which the following is a'specification.

All apparatus of-which I have knowledge as heretofore used inconnectionwith-daylight development of photographienegatives has possessed disadvantageous features, which have more or less mitigated against theirgeneral and continued use especially by amateurs. Great care has hadto be exercised in the manipulation of these well-known devices both when loading and unloading;v and, furthermore, where developingmachines of the tank typeare used, an unnecessarily large quantity of chemicals has hadto be used so as to entirely submerge the negative in order to properly develop it, thus resulting-in a substantial waste of chemicals. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a developing apparatuswhich the most unskilled may use without liability of scratching or otherwise injuring the negative and which will atthe same time accomplish a most rapid treatment ofthe negatives with an expenditure of aminimum amountof developing liquid, thus enabling the satisfactory production of finished negatives in a" more expeditious manner than has-heretoforebeeil possible. I I

l -he rapidity with which the development of negatives may be accomplished by my method is particularly valuable in connection with the military service where time very often'is of Vitalimportance'duringengagements. My invention is of such a simplified characterthat a military; aviator ,or observer may use itduring. flightg taking pictures of the enemys position -anddeveloping them, ready to hand to' anorderly uponhis" descent for"deliverytothe stafi ofiie'erin condition for immediateruse- This quick transmission of intelligenceem itself is' ofgreatstrategicv'alue.

Another'object of-my invention-is to provide a flexible developing ba'gwholly or partly made ofa transparentcolored-mate te'ria-lwhich will preclude thepassage of actinic'rays-so as to' enable-oneto observe the progress of the developing process.

A still further object of my invention is to oping and fixingof the negatives takes place.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same bag rolled up to illustrate the compact manner inwhich it may be arranged for convenience of transportation.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, of; a'flexible bag containing a roll of film and illustrating one method of manipulation.

, Fig. 4 is a, similar view with the entire film in-proper position Within the bag preparatory to introducing the developing liquid.

Fig.- 5 is a view in vertical cross section showing the film-in process of development.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a convenient form of clamp which I, have" found useful for the purpose of affecting a light proof closure adjacent to' the open end of thelbag duringthe process of manipulation. Fig. 7 illustrates in perspective the open .end ofthe bag widened so as to make convenient the introduction of the developing solution.

,Fig. 81is a cross sectional view of. the bag illustrating a differentmethod of introducingrand positioning the film therein and also showing the manner in which two rolls of films can'be simultaneously developed.

Fig; 9 is; aside view of the carrier used in connection with 8 for holding the film rolls and aiding intheir' unwinding.

Fig. 1Q i's an'end view taken=on line A-'A ofFig. 9. I

, Fig.=11= is aperspective view ofa modified form of flexible container which possesses certain advantages to be hereinafterpointed out.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to F-ig'. .3'- but showing the ba'ginuse connectionwith the development of plates, g

Fig.-1;3--isa side viewcof the lower extremity-of thejbag illustrating its use we measure for the developing liquid.

The bag illustrated in Fig. 1 is designated by the reference character A. and 1s of a ting as a material for the purpose as the smoothness of the interior cannot injure the sensitized surface of the negatives even though no particular pains or skill be practised while handling the bag. I believe the excellency of the results thus obtained is promoted in a measure by reason of the fact that the solution allows the surfaces of both bag and negative to contact and, if need be, to slide relatively to each other without injury to the negative.

One method of practising my invention consists in introducing. the film roll 1 into the bag with one hand. contracting the open end of the bag around the wrist by folding over the portion indicated at 2 and securing it by the snap button 3, then gathering the bag up over the inserted hand. as shown.

and then grasping the bottom of the bag and the film roll with the other hand, (holding the latter loosely so as to permit it to revolve). the unwinding of the film may be effected by the inserted hand as shown in Fig. 3. This manipulation is preferably practised with the bag in a horizontal position. When the film has been unrolled and is in proper position within the bag, the same can be laid upon a table or support and a weight 4 placed upon the extremity of the film. so that the hand which holds the spool during the unwinding of the film may be released to manipulate the clamp 5 which is designed to clamp the opposite extremity of the film and the walls of the bag together to form a light-tight closure after which the inserted hand may be withdrawn and the developing chemical introduced. This latter operation is preferably accomplished in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 by opening the mouth of the bag and pouring the chemical therein after which the clamp is slightly loosened to permit the liquid to flow into the developing chamber of the bag, whereupon the open extremity of the bag may be folded back upon itself as shown at 6, in Fig. 5. I have found in practice that the reversing of this end forms a water and light-tight closure. The clamp 5 may then be removed and positioned at the other end adjacent to the spool if found desirable.

The clamp 5 comprises jaw members 7 and 7 hinged at-8, the jaw member 7 being pro vided with a U-shaped catch 9 adapted to swing on its pivot 10 into a position straddling the jaw member 7, thus holding both in clamping position.

The bag with the contained film may rest horizontally upon a table or support and by agitation of the solution expedites development and insures uniformity of results. Furthermore, in a bag of this character, the distribution of the solution is even and its agitation so easily accomplished that one is enabled to economize in the use of developer required, whereas as heretofore mentioned the previous methods of tank development have required greatly increased quantities of solution as the complete submersion of the negative has been necessary.

After the film has remained a prescribed time within the bag, the clamp 5, if used may be removed and the film withdrawn or should it be found desirable the film may remain within the bag while the developer is permitted to run out, whereupon the bath for fixing may be introduced and used for the required time. The fixing bath may then on be supplanted by a number of changes of water so that proper washing of the negative may be performed, all without removing the film from the bag. Of course, the fixing and washing may be accomplished otherwise, should the bag be desired for continued use as a developing receptacle where a number of rolls of film are to be quickly developed.

Another method of practising my invention consists in introducing the film roll into the open end of the bag retaining and holding the paper leader strip between the walls of the bag and then reversing the end of the bag upon itself so as to form a light-tight 105 closure, permitting the spool to descend by gravity as shown in Fig. 8, thus automatically effecting the unwinding of the film and the positioning of it within the bag. This operation may be assisted by the use of the 1 1c weighted spool carrier illustrated in Fig. 9. which consists in mounting upon the extremities of a weight 11 upwardly extending spring supports 12 provided with extending lugs 13 which fit within the aperture ends 13 'of the spool 14, the latter being conveniently inserted and held in proper position by the inherent springy nature of the members 12. The carrier may be formed to accommodate one or two rolls of film and I find that it is a just as convenient to develop two rolls of films simultaneously as it is one roll.

Should it be found desirable to remove the spools and the carrier after the film has been properly placed, this may be accom- 1T plished by employing an open ended flexible tube, such as shown in Fig. 11. By using the clamping device 5, which will be clamped at a point near where the film ends, the spool or spools and carrier may be removed from thetube after which thedeveloping process as heretofore described may be performed.

It will be obvious that my flexible developing bag may be found'useful in connection with the development of plates as wellas films. l have illustrated in'Fig. -l2-suchuse.

I preferably-employ a metalplate holder 15 which will be unaffected "bythe. action of the chemicals used. This platefhol'der icont-aining the exposedplates is inserted in the bag and retained in position byone hand o'f the user while the slides are withdrawnwith the other hand of the user in a manner-thought to be clearly understood from the illustration. Of course, if-desired the-plates can be remove'dfrom the plate holder and the'latteraremoved from the bag, if found desirable.

Accordingrto another-phase 'of my 1 nv ention,,I construct the flexible developinglbag either wholly or partly "olf a colored transparent material so that it an'dthecontained negative may be held up to the lighttthus enabling one to note the progress of deyeloping. Red or orange coloredfc'ellulbid would be suitable-for this pu rposeas thiscolored material will not permit'the passage (ifactinic rays. The fact that the bag is flexible allows it to be conveniently collapsed at the particular point where observation is desired, the chemical running into anothenportion of the bag and 'not'obstrnctlng the'operators =vision. Thisis adistinctadvantage when it isconsidered that developing solu tions-are'-almostinvariably'more or less dark negative.

' in color, especially after contact with the Referring to Fig. 11, I have indicatedthe line or graduation mark 16 appears adjacent to the lower closed end of the bag, this line being for the purpose of forming a gage or guide for enabling one to regulate the amount of solution used for developing. By pouring in a quantity of the fluid and at taching the clamp 5 to the bag at this point in the manner shown in Fig. 13, it is possible to accurately measure the proper amount of developer to be used. The excess is poured out through the open end of the bag after the clamp has been secured in place.

The bag may also serve as a mixing chamber for the developer. The developer commonly used is sold in quantities containing just the right amount of chemicals necessary to develop a roll of film and as each powder is mixed in a certain quantity of water, it will be manifest that the bag admirably serves the purpose of a mixing chamber. In operation the powder is poured into the bottom of-the-bag andth'e proper quantity of water added. As the powder is often'morecr less lumpy, the sides of the bag 'may be pressed w ather by 1 hand orone may rub the bag against thesurface of a table or other suitablesu'pport to rapidly disintegrate it and cause it to dissolve quickly.

"In order-t0 hold thecl-a-in'p '5' in proper position with relation to the bag,Imay find it-tlesirable'to-arrange upon 'the' outer sur- 'face of the bagsuitable' retaining strips 17 (see-Fig. '13)." The ends of these strips are cemented or otherwise suitably fastened to the bag and the jaws ofthe' clamp are inserted -therebetween as shown. Thus the cl-a-mps arealwaysin properposition and "can be more readily manipulated by the hands of the user.

Myexperience practising the met-hoddescribedlhas shown-me that it isunnecessary to remove the opaque paper which protects the film during the operation of development. 'H-owevenjifcfor any reason it should lie-found desirable -to remove thispaper as well as the spool fromthe bagJt-his can be easily-accomplished by contracting-the open end-ofthe bag around the wrist and inserting-the hand Which-can remove both from the bag.

It'willfurtherbe manifest that for a bag pfagiven size, any film or'plateof smaller :size may be 'd'evelopedtherein' and that by having-several developing bags'in use, one may be able to develop a large number of veloping outfit, which is capable of developing a number of rolls of film at a time will appeal to and be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

While I have described the structural characteristics of my invention in detail, I have done so by way of illustration not desiring it to be understood that I am limited precisely thereto as I desire to cover by the appended claims, the principles of my invention in whatever form they may be embodied or practised.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is;

1. A photographic developing device comprising a collapsible tube collapsible directly against the sensitized photographic medium to be developed and having an end portion adapted to be folded back upon itself to provide a lightproof closure.

2. A photographic developing device including a collapsible waterproof tube of a length to receive the sensitized photographic medium, said tube being formed of soft lightproof material and having smooth inner Walls which are collapsible against the sensitized medium, an end of the tube being foldablc back upon itself to provide a- -r'ollsof lilmsinashort length-of timel' 'lhe *eift'reme compactness and lightness of the delightproof closure, and a window provided in the tube.

3. A photographic developingreceptacle comprising a tube collapsible throughout its entire length. v z

4. A photographic developing receptacle comprising a collapsible rubber tube.

5. A photographic developing receptacle comprising a collapsible rubber tube closed at one end.

6. A photographic developing receptacle comprising a collapsible tube, end portions of which are foldable to form closures thereat.

7. A photographic developing device including a waterproof tube collapsible throughout its entire length and sufliciently flexible to be compactly rolled when not in use. I

8. A photographic developing device including a collapsible waterproof tube formed of soft flexible material and adaptedto receive a fluid, and means for contracting the mouth of the tube around the wrist; of an operator to provide a lightproof closure.

9. A photographic developing device including a collapsible waterproof tube adapt-- ed toreceive a fluid and provided with a window portion whlch excludes the actinic rays. v

10. A developing apparatus comprising a flexible bag and a device for securing the graphic negativesnf the film-roll type, the

combinationof 'a flexible bag for containing the film and developing liquid and a aveighted carrier adapted to hold the rollfilm and facilitate the unwinding of the film from .the spool.

13. A. developing apparatus comprising a flexible waterproof bag and a device to which the film spool may be revolubly secured and thereby carried into said bag.

14. A developing apparatus comprising a flexible waterproof bag and a weight to which the film spoolmay be revolubly secured for carrying said spool into the bag by gravity.

. jl5. A developingapparatus comprising a flexible waterproof'bag and a device to carry 1 the spool into thebag while the film is held =i,n';a stationary position with relation to the bag.

16. A developing bag for developing roll film, said bag be1ng.of greater length and width than the film and so constrin'ztedas to allow one end of the film to be held at a light-tight closure of the bag near the entrance thereof.

ERNEST J. SWEETLAND.

copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

'- I Washington, D. G. 

